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📄 VISADO

Entrepreneur visa

Three-year residence authorization for a business activity that is innovative and/or of special economic interest for Spain. The favorable ENISA report is requested by the UGE-CE of its own motion.

Minimum income The law sets no IPREM percentage. Art. 62.3.f of Law 14/2013 requires sufficient financial means for yourself and your family members during your period of residence in Spain — the reference amounts are published by the UGE-CE.
Initial duration 3 years (art. 69 of Law 14/2013), then renewable in two-year periods. Careful — the one-year figure belongs to the VISA, which is valid for one year or for the duration of the residence authorization where that is shorter (art. 75.4). The authorization runs for three.
Decision time twenty days from electronic filing (art. 76.1), counted as working days under art. 30 of Law 39/2015 — processed by the UGE-CE and granted by the Directorate-General for Migration
Work allowed? ✓ Yes
Family allowed? ✓ Yes
Fee 2026 Form 790 code 052 for the authorization — the TIE is paid separately with form 790 code 012. Check the current amounts on the e-office when you apply
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Step by step

The application for the authorization is filed electronically with the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE), by the applicant or through a legal representative (art. 69). The UGE-CE processes it and the Directorate-General for Migration grants it (art. 76.1). If you are outside Spain, the authorization and the visa are applied for in a single submission that starts both procedures consecutively (art. 69) — the authorization first, then the visa. Beyond what is specific to this authorization, you must meet the general requirements of art. 62 of Law 14/2013 — not being unlawfully present in Spain, being over 18, having no criminal record, not being listed as inadmissible in countries with which Spain has an agreement to that effect, holding health insurance, having sufficient financial means and paying the fee — plus the legal requirements to start the activity, which are those laid down by the relevant sectoral rules (art. 69). Your spouse or partner in an analogous relationship, minor children or adult children who, being financially dependent on the holder, have not formed a family unit of their own, and dependent ascendants may apply jointly and simultaneously or successively for the authorization and, where applicable, the visa; if filed at the same time as the holder's, they are decided simultaneously too (art. 62.4). All of this is without prejudice to anti-money-laundering obligations and any tax or Social Security obligations (art. 62.5). This section does not apply to EU citizens or to foreigners with equivalent free-movement rights (art. 61.2), and the authorization or visa is refused — as it is revoked or not renewed — where the person may pose a threat to public order, public security, public health or national security (art. 62.7). Visas are issued by Spain's Diplomatic Missions and Consular Offices (art. 75.1).

1
Prepare your business plan
Draft a detailed business plan demonstrating the innovative nature of the project and its economic interest for Spain.
2
The UGE requests the ENISA report, not you
You do not approach ENISA. The UGE-CE requests the report of its own motion when it receives your application; it is mandatory and must be issued within ten working days (art. 70). Your job here is a business plan that stands up to the assessment.
3
Gather required documents
Compile all required documentation. Apostille and translate any foreign documents.
4
Submit application to the UGE
File the authorization application electronically with the UGE-CE, yourself or through a legal representative. If you are outside Spain, authorization and visa go in a single submission (art. 69). Filing the application extends any residence or stay status you already hold until the procedure is decided (art. 76.1).
5
Decision and, if you are abroad, the visa
The maximum time to decide is twenty days from electronic filing (art. 76.1), counted as working days under art. 30 of Law 39/2015, and, if no decision is issued within that period, the authorization is deemed GRANTED by administrative silence (art. 76.1). Decisions are reasoned and may be appealed (arts. 121 and 122 of Law 39/2015). Once the authorization is granted, applicants outside Spain then apply for the residence visa, which is decided and notified within 10 working days, except for applicants subject to the consultation under art. 22 of the Visa Code, where the period is the general one under that Code (art. 75.5). On receiving the visa application the consulate consults the Directorate-General of the Police, which must reply within seven days — if it does not, the reply is deemed favorable (art. 62.6).
6
Apply for your TIE
Once the authorization is granted, if it runs for more than six months the foreigner identity card (TIE) must be applied for (art. 76.2) — the entrepreneur one runs for three years, so it does. You apply in person within one month of entering Spain or of the authorization being granted or taking effect (art. 209 RD 1155/2024). Fee Form 790 code 012 — check the current amount on the e-office when you apply. The residence visa on its own allows you to reside without a TIE (art. 75). And your passport is sufficient proof to register with Social Security during the first six months of residence or stay in the categories governed by this section where you do not hold a foreigner identification number (NIE), without prejudice to applying for the NIE afterwards (art. 76.5).
Publicidad

Mistakes that get applications refused

⚠️ Believing that only innovative projects qualify

Consecuencia: Unfavorable ENISA report and visa denial

Solución: Art. 70 of Law 14/2013 opens two routes, not one — the activity must be innovative AND/OR of special economic interest for Spain, and to that end must have a favorable ENISA report. Creating skilled jobs, or the idea that opening a bar is not enough, is not in the law — it describes how the assessment has been applied in practice.

⚠️ Business plan lacking financial data and market research

Consecuencia: Unfavorable ENISA report

Solución: The assessment of the entrepreneurial and business activity takes into account (art. 70.2 of Law 14/2013) the applicant's professional profile and involvement in the project — where there are several partners, the participation of each is assessed, whether or not they need a visa or authorization; the business plan, covering a description of the project, of the product or service it develops, and its financing, including the investment required and the possible sources of funding; and the elements generating added value for the Spanish economy, innovation or investment opportunities. Market analysis and three-year projections are not required by law — they are the usual way of supporting those three points.

⚠️ Failure to demonstrate sufficient financial means for the initial period

Consecuencia: Visa denial

Solución: Show sufficient financial means for yourself and your family members during the period of residence (art. 62.3.f of Law 14/2013), and the project's funding, with the investment required and its sources. The 400% IPREM figure that circulates does not come from this law.

Renewal

Renewed for: TWO years. Art. 76.3 of Law 14/2013 provides that holders of an authorization governed by this section may apply to renew it for two-year periods, provided they continue to meet the conditions that gave rise to the right. Three years is the initial authorization only (art. 69) — it is not three plus three.

When to apply: Renewals are processed by electronic means. The Directorate-General for Migration may obtain the reports it needs in order to rule on whether the conditions that gave rise to the right still hold. Filing the renewal application extends the validity of the authorization until the procedure is decided. It is also extended where the application is filed within the NINETY DAYS following the expiry of the previous authorization, without prejudice to penalty proceedings being opened where appropriate (art. 76.3).

Requirements:

  • Continuing to meet the conditions that gave rise to the right (art. 76.3)
  • Still meeting the general requirements of art. 62 of Law 14/2013 — health insurance, sufficient financial means and no criminal record

After five years you may obtain permanent residence (art. 69). Authorizations and visas under this section are revoked, refused or not renewed where the person may pose a threat to public order, public security, public health or national security, as assessed on the basis of a police, CNI or National Security Department report (art. 62.7).

Legal basis

Law 14/2013 arts. 61, 62, 69, 70, 75 and 76; RD 1155/2024 art. 209 (foreigner identity card).

Checked against the consolidated text on 2026-09-01.

Official sources

🔗 Ley 14/2013 de apoyo a los emprendedores → 🔗 Ley 28/2022 (Ley de Startups) → 🔗 ENISA - Empresa Nacional de Innovación → 🔗 UGE - Unidad de Grandes Empresas → 🔗 Sede electrónica Policía Nacional - Cita TIE →

Última actualización: 2026-07-08

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ℹ️ La información de esta web es orientativa y de carácter general. No constituye asesoramiento jurídico. Para tu caso concreto, consulta con un abogado especializado en extranjería o con la oficina oficial correspondiente. Emigra España nunca aconseja actuar fuera de la legalidad.